Feeding arrangement for feeding mass produced articles to single conveying rows



Nov. 11, 158 A. GRAHNGHQLT 2,859,355

FEEDING ARRANGEMENT FOR FEEDING MASS PRODUCED ARTICLES T0 smcuz: couvsymc ROWS Filed Jan. 18, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. 11, 1958 A. GRAFINGHOLT 2,859,855

FEEDING ARRANGEMENT FOR FEEDING MASS PRODUCED ARTICLES TO SINGLE CONVEYING ROWS Filed Jan. 18, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Nov. 11, 1958 A. GRAFINGHOLT 2,859,855

FEEDING ARRANGEMENT FOR FEEDING MASS PRODUCED ARTICLES TO SINGLE CONVEYING ROWS Filed Jan. 18, 1956 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 W A 27 llllllllllllllllllllllu mun III;

INVENTOR. ly e! 40/! FEEDING ARRANGEMENT FOR FEEDING MASS PRODUCED ARTICLES T SINGLE CONVEYING ROWS Alfred Griifingholt, Viersen,

Hansella-Werke Albert Hankel Viersen, Germany Germany, assignor to Aktiengesellschaft,

The present invention concerns an arrangement for feeding mass produced articles, especially candies, to a wrapping machine.

Feeding devices are known in which the respective articles by vibration, or brushing or shaking operation are placed into receiving openings of a feeding plate or a compartment chain. These known methods work satisfactorily up to a certain feeding speed only. If the feeding speed is increased beyond a certain speed, the time for the placing of the respective articles into the feeding means becomes too short so that shocks occur during the transfer operation, which shocks cause damage to the articles to be transported, for instance, to filled candies.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a feeding arrangement for mass produced articles such as candies to a wrapping machine, which will overcome the above-mentioned drawback.

It is another object of this invention to provide a feeding arrangement of the abovementioned type which will make it possible to increase the feeding speed over the speed heretofore permissible for a satisfactory transfer from the delivery conveyor belt or the like to the device feeding the articles to the wrapping machine.

It is still another object of this invention to provide a feeding device of the type set forth in the preceding paragraphs which will make it possible to increase the quantity to be fed per time unit to the wrapping machine.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will appear more clearly from the following specification in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a top view of a feeding arrangement according to the invention.

Fig. 2 illustrates in section the feeding arrangement proper according to the present invention which feeds the mass produced articles to the wrapping machine, said section being taken along the line 11-11 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 3 is a top view of Fig. 2 with the cover plate removed.

Figs. 4 to 6 illustrate on a scale reduced over that of Fig. 3 the arrangement of Fig. 3 in three different working positions.

Fig. 6a is a section along the line VIa of Fig. 6.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of an eccentric for displacing segments employed in connection with the present invention.

Fig. 8 is a side view of the allocating plate receiving the candies to be wrapped from a conveyor likewise shown in Fig. 8.

General arrangement The difliculties referred to above with heretofore known feeding arrangements of the type involved have been overcome according to the present invention by an arrangement in which the respective articles are transferred in groups from a pre-sorting device to the feeding member. More specifically, according to the present inven- 2,859,55 Patented Nov. 11, 1958 tion, the feeding member proper is composed of segments which are actuated in such a manner that one or more of said segments will temporarily stand still at the transfer station, i. e., where the transfer from the pre-sorting device to the feeding member proper takes place, whereas the remaining segments continue their movement during said temporary standstill of the other segment or segments. During the temporary standstill of said one segment, a group of mass produced articles is transferred from said pro-sorting device to the feeding member proper. In this way, a longer standstill is obtained than would be the case if each article were individually transferred to the feeding element. Consequently, even at higher speeds, a careful placing of the articles on the feeding element will be assured with the arrangement of the present invention. As a result thereof, the present invention makes it possible to place on the feeding element and to feed to the wrapping machine a multiple of what could be fed to the wrapping machine heretofore. The means moving the articles to the pre-sorting device can be charged from a storage container or bin in which the articles to be wrapped may be stored and cooled after leaving the stamping or pressing machine.

According to a practically tested embodiment of the invention, the candies or the like are by means of a conveyor belt or vibrating trough moved to an allocating or pre-sorting plate above which a brush roller is mounted at the station Where the transfer of the candies from the conveyor belt or the like to the allocating or pre-sorting plate is effected. The allocating plate is provided with apertures in a certain arrangement and rotates above a stationary second plate over which the candies slide. The candies advanced by the conveyor belt are discharged upon the allocating plate and are uniformly distributed in the apertures of said allocating plate by means of a brush roller. During the further rotation of the allocating plate, the candies pass over recesses or slots in the lower stationary plate and drop through said recesses or slots into apertures provided in segments which are arranged on a circular track arranged laterally below the stationary plate. The candies are held in the apertures of said segments by means of perforated bottoms and are lifted out of said apertures at the discharging station by means of a reciprocating push rod. The movement of the push rod is coupled with the rotative movement of the segments so that the push rod during its lifting position also moves in the direction of rotation of the segments. This may be effected in the manner described for instance in U. S. Patent 2,744,370 to Seragnoli. Consequently, the lifting out movement of the push rod will be effected slowly and without shock. The two segments at the transfer station from the allocating plate to the feeding segments are driven by driving means with intermittent movement, for instance, by a Geneva- Cross drive, whereas the remaining segments are driven by pinions.

Structural arrangement Referring now to the drawings in detail, the conveyor belt 1, moving in the direction of the arrow A, containing the candles in an at random arrangement, discharges the candies onto an allocating plate 3 where the candies by means of a brush roller 4 are distributed and moved into the apertures 5 of the allocating plate 3. As will be clearly seen from the drawing, the apertures 5 on the allocating plate 3 are arranged along curves extending in radial direction of plate 3 and corresponding substantially to the curvature of the circle along which the candies will later on be located in the feeding segments 9 to 15. The apertures 5 in the allocating plate 3 have a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the candies.

During the rotation of the allocating plate .3 in the 'the apertures 7 of the adjacent segment 9 to 15,

direction of the arrow B, the candies slide on a fixedly arranged plate 6 located below the allocating plate 3. Each time a group of candies in one of the curved rows of the allocating plate 3 has reached the transfer station, in other words, each time a curved row of apertures 1n the allocating plate 3 is substantially in alignment with t B respective candies in the respective curved row on plate 3 pass through recesses or slots 6a (Figs. 2 and 6a) in the fixed plate 6 and drop into the adjacent apertures 7 of the adjacent segment of the feeding device. The candies received by the apertures 7 are held therein by perforated bottoms 16 (Fig. 2). Push rods 17 (one only being shown) extend through the perforations in the bottom of the apertures 7 and at appropriate stations DS push the candies out of said bottom 7 so that they will be fed to the wrapping machine. The push rods perform a reciprocating movement and while moving upwardly simultaneously perform a movement in the direction of rotation of said segments.

While in the specific showing of Fig. 3 the movement of the segments 11 to 15 is effected by gears 18 meshing with a rack section of the segments, the segments 9 and are rotated by means of eccentrics 19, 20 (Figs. 3-6). These eccentrics are provided with rotatably journalled cams 21, 22 (Fig. 6) adapted to engage grooves 23 (Figs. 2 and 6a) of the segments. The plates or discs of the eccentrics 19, 20 have those sides thereof which are opposite the earns 21, 22 provided with elevations 24 (Fig. 7), which latter have an arresting edge 25. The said elevations engage recesses 26 of said segments. A cover plate 27 (Fig. 2) protects the parts located at a lower level from being soiled and also serves for holding the circular track 8.

Operation The segments 9 to operate in the following manner: the gears 18 rotate continuously and move the respective segments 11 to 15 engaged thereby in the direction of the arrow C around the central axis of the circular track 8. In the position of the segment 10 in Fig. 3, the cam 22 of the eccentric engages the groove 23 and moves this segment 10 into a position which segment 9 of Fig. 3 occupies. After the cam 22 has moved out of the groove 23 pertaining to segment 10, a temporary standstill of segment 10 will occur, and it is at this temporary standstill in the respective superimposed rowof apertures 5 that the candies of segment 10 are released therefrom through slots or recesses 6a and are received by the apertures 7 of the now stationary segment. Thereafter, the cam 21 of the eccentric 19 engages the groove 23 of segment 10 now in position of segment 9 in Fig. 3 and moves segment 10 into a position in which the adjacent gear 18 meshes with the rack of segment 10. The arresting edge will prevent the segments from moving beyond the position which is necessary for the cam 21 or 22 to engage the respective groove 23. By transferring the candies in groups from the allocating plate 3 to the respective segment, the number of shifting operations decreases with regard to the individual transfer of the individual candies, and, consequently, the time is increased for the standstill of the respective feeding means necessary for a shock-free transfer of the candies from the allocating plate to the feeding means.

The temporary standstill of the respective segment will occur in the time interval between the sliding out of the cam 22 from the respective groove in the segment and the sliding in of the cam 21 or out of the groove 23. With the movement of the segments 9, 10 in the specific example referred to above by the eccentric cams 21, 22, it is important that the speed at the start and at the end of the circular movement of the eccentric cams equals the speed of the segments 11 to 15, whereas the speed of the segments 9, 10 in the deepest engagement position of the cams 21, 22 in the grooves 23 is higher so that the standstill interval for transferring the candies will be compensated for and the segments 9, 10 throughout their rotative movement within the range of the eccentrics will have the same average speed as the remaining segments 11 to 15.

It is, of course, to be understood that the present invention is, by no means, limited to the particular arrangement shown in the drawings, but may also comprise many modifications within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In an arrangement for feeding mass produced articles to be wrapped individually, especially candies, to a wrapping machine, the combination of: allocating means adapted to receive said articles arranged in groups, feed-- ing means arranged to receive said articles in groups from said allocating means at a transfer station, means arranged to unload the articles received from said feeding means at a-discharge station spaced from said transfer station, said feeding means comprising a plurality of segments mounted for movement along an endless path leading by said transfer station and said discharge station, first driving means drivingly engaging that respective segment which in the direction of movement of said segments follows said transfer station for uniformly moving the majority of said segments at a certain speed, and second driving means arranged adjacent said transfer station for moving that respective segment which is the next one to reach said transfer station to the latter in a stepwise manner at a second speed higher than said first speed to thereby move said last mentioned segment temporarily away from the respective succeeding segment and to give it a subsequent temporary rest period, said second driving means drivingly disengaging the segment last engaged thereby in response to the segment last engaged by said second driving means reaching said transfer station, said second driving means engaging the respective next succeeding segment a certain time after the disengagement from the segment last engaged thereby for repeating the cycle.

2. An arrangement according to claim 1, in which the segments are moved along a circular path.

3. In an arrangement for feeding mass produced articles to be wrapped individually, especially candies, to a wrapping machine, the combination of: a rotatable allocating plate provided with groups of apertures to receive said articles, said apertures having a diameter slightly larger than that of said articles, the apertures of each group being arranged along a curved path extending in substantially radial direction of said plate, feeding means located below a portion of said plate, stationary means extending underneath said apertures to prevent articles therein from falling therethrough while said apertures are over the major portion of said stationary means, said stationary means including openings extending therethrough between said plate and said feeding means for allowing articles to drop from said apertures into said feeding means, that area of said stationary means which comprises said opcnings defining a transfer station, unloading means arranged in circularly spaced relationship to said transfer station for unloading articles received from said feeding means, the location of said unloading means defining a discharge station, said feeding means comprising a plurality of segments mounted for movement along an endless path leading by said transfer and said discharge stations, first driving means arranged adjacent said transfer station and operable to engage and stepwise to advance by a certain distance only and at a first speed at least that respective segment which when viewing the direction of movement of said segments is the next one to reach said transfer station, and second driving means arranged to move each one of the respective remaining segments in a continuous and successive manner at a lower speed than said first speed to a position for engagement by said first driving means.

4. In an arrangement for feeding mass produced articles to be wrapped individually, especially candies, to a wrapping machine, the combination of: allocating means adapted to receive said articles arranged into groups, feeding means arranged to receive said articles in groups from said allocating means at a transfer station, means arranged to unload the received articles from said feeding means at a discharge station spaced from said transfer station, said feeding means comprising a plurality of segments mounted for movement along an endless path leading by said transfer station and said discharge station, each of said segments having its bottom surface provided with a radially extending groove, rotatable means arranged adjacent said transfer station below the respective adjacent segment and provided with actuating means alternately engaging and disengaging the radially extending groove of the respective adjacent segment for one revolution of said rotatable means to thereby advance the last mentioned segment at a first speed stepwise and by a certain distance only, and driving means continuously drivingly engaging at least one of the respective remaining segments to move said remaining segments in a continuous and successive manner toward said rotatable means at a second speed less than said first speed.

5. An arrangement according to claim 4, in which said rotatable means are provided with elevated means opposite said actuating means, said elevated means including an arresting edge for arresting the respective adjacent segment disengaged by said actuating means.

6. An arrangement according to claim 5, in which the segments are provided with recesses for engagement by said elevated means.

7. In an arrangement for feeding mass produced articles to be wrapped individually, especially candies, to a Wrapping machine, the combination of: allocating means adapted to receive said articles arranged in groups, feeding means arranged to receive said articles in groups from Sflid allocating means at a transfer station, means arranged to unload the received articles from said feeding means at a discharge station spaced from said transfer station, said feeding means comprising a plurality of segments mounted for movement along an endless path leading by said transfer station and said discharge station, said segmen: having their innermost sections designed as a rack and being respectively provided with substantially radially extending grooves, pinions spaced from said transfer station and meshing with the racks of the respective ad, jacent segments to move the same in a continuous and successive manner toward said discharge station at a first speed. and rotatable driving means arranged adjacent said transfer station and including actuating means for altcrnately engaging and disengaging thegrcove of the respective adjacent segment for one revolution 10f said rotatable means to thereby advancethe respective engaged segment stepwise and by a Eertaitndistance only and at a speed higher than said first speed.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,791,427 Regenstreif Feb, 3, 1931 1,975,938 Grover Qct. 9, 1934 2,016,820 Milmoe .5.-. Oct. 8, 1935 2,072,502 Haub Mar. 2, 1937 2,683,538 Kingston et al. July 13, 1954 

